Doing both allows creatives to dip their toe in both areas to figure out what works best for them, songwriters say.  By, Sarah Tomlinson  ( CanCulture/Devon Harvey) For Elena Goddart, mainstream music was always a novelty. Growing up near Smithers, B.C., on a farm, she was homeschooled and was only permitted to listen to classical…

His sixth album includes two MLK speeches, love songs to his wife, and missed opportunities  By, Isabella Lopes Justin Bieber’s sixth album Justice was released on March 19. Taking samples from Martin Luther King Jr. and having a couple of features from Black artists doesn’t hide the fact that Justin Bieber’s album Justice is nowhere…

15 emerging producers, songwriters and artists are gaining entrepreneurial skills through MusicLinks   By Sarah Tomlinson  The latest cohort of artists and producers for MusicLinks posing in front of Lynx music studio on Nov.2, 2020. (MusicLinks /JustOverMusic)   Over the course of 21 weeks, 15 emerging Canadian artists and producers were selected to sharpen their craft by…

A decade into his career, the prolific Toronto and Montreal-based rapper looks at what drives him to make music. By, Manus Hopkins Krosst Out poses for a promo shoot in Montreal (by Nicolas Bondu).  Toronto and Montreal-based rap-rock artist Krosst Out never had a plan B for his career path. Real name Aaron Siebenga, He…

Surviving civil unrest, poverty, and prejudice using her grandmother’s name allow’s Mari to reclaim that piece of her that so many people tried to take away.  By, Sarah Tomlinson  Freida Mari’s artwork for her latest release “Easy”. (Courtesy/Aistis Cepinskas) When she was 14 years old, Freida Mari remembers visiting her grandmother in a nursing home…

The 17-year-old artist from Cambridge, Ont. has cultivated an overwhelmingly successful career from his DIY talents as a genre-bending music artist. By Isaac Fontes  If you’re active on TikTok or keep up with the latest dance trends on the app, the name 347aidan should ring a bell. His song “Dancing in My Room” had gathered…

Canadian band Soy Sunrise merges traditional Chinese instruments with lo-fi hip hop in their New Year song “Red Envelope.” By Alya Stationwala Bandmates Jake Parkinson, Adam Enriquez, Jasmine Lim and Ryland Moon together with their instruments at Western University. (Courtesy Lauren Kell) Lunar New Year is usually a celebration of new beginnings, bringing in the…

By exploring more genres and drawing from external inspiration, Gray opened ears to what modern music can be.  By, Sarah Tomlinson  View this post on Instagram A post shared by lila gray (@lilagraymusic) Vancouver Indie-Pop artist Lila Gray is breaking down music barriers with her new eclectic multi-genre album Not What I Was Promised.  Born…

With TikTok offering a large audience to market to, musicians and artists must use the features effectively.  By Didhiti Kandel  It’s no secret that 2020 has been the year for TikTok. Launching first in 2016, TikTok has become one of the fastest-growing entertainment apps worldwide.  With music integration being one of its main features, billions…

She combined her long-standing passion for writing and music and gained experience in the field.  By Sarah Tomlinson Rebecca Mattina at Canada’s Boots and Hearts country music festival in August 2019 (Rebecca Mattina]  Five years into her career in music journalism, Rebecca Mattina has seen many successes. While working for various organizations like Canadian Beats…

Here are five Canadian websites that support independent artists in Canada By, Didhiti Kandel Image by Becca Clark (Pixabay)  Equally as important as the music itself, promotion is essential for artists to share their work with audiences. However, as the prices of conventional resources for advertising and branding become more and more exorbitant, visibility has…